Chapter Discussion

Recognize forces beyond management control that affect the availability of labor.
Labor quality and labor quantity are beyond a company’s control. There are a finite number of employees available in any labor pool with the skills required to meet an employer’s needs.

Understand the reasons that cause people to leave their home countries.
In many parts of the world, wars, revolutions, racial and ethnic battles, and political repression cause people to flee. Others go to other countries in hopes of better jobs and pay.

Discuss guest workers.
Guest workers move to a host country to perform specific types of jobs, usually in service, factory, or construction work. But when a country’s economy slows, its native workers may want the jobs held by guest workers. In addition, racial friction has developed in some countries because of guest workers.

Understand the principles underlying the immigration system in the United States.
The United States admits people from throughout the world as immigrants (permanent) and nonimmigrants (temporary). Many come to the United States from employment, while others come to the United States to be reunited with family members. The United States also grants asylum to those fleeing persecution.

Understand how high technology is influencing workers and the workplace.
As high technology becomes more and more important, many companies in the United States are seeking workers from other countries to meet their staffing demands. Technology not only is creating new employment opportunities, it also is making it easier for people taking these positions to stay in touch with those back home.

Explain how the composition of a country’s labor force affects productivity.
Workers may come with or without skills and abilities. The better they are, the more productive they can be.

Name other forces that affect productivity.
Productivity is affect by several forces other than workers’ skills. Greater resources invested in research and development usually result in better capital equipment for workers. A country’s tax policies can also influence how much money is available for R&D and other investments.

Understand women’s positions in labor forces.
Since the mid-1970s, more and more women have entered the work force in most industrialized countries. Because of obstacles such as discrimination and changes in lifestyles, the growth of their numbers slowed in the 1990s. But acceptability of women in the work force is virtually nil in many other countries.

Discuss differences in labor unions from country to country.
Historically, labor unions have tended to be more political in Europe and more pragmatic in the United States, but developments during the 1990s and into the 21st century have shown much more political activism in U.S. unions. Unions have been losing membership in most of the developed countries.

Understand how labor is getting a voice in management.
Labor participation in management has grown in Europe, Japan, and later, the United States. Industrial democracy and worker participation have recently spread in the United States. This has involved labor-management cooperation, in some instances including union officials as members of companies’ boards of directors.